The present application relates generally to an intravenous catheter device having features to aid a user in hooding the beveled portion of an introducer needle during the catheterization process.
Various types of medical devices employ a needle for piercing the skin of a patient for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. One such device is an over-the-needle intravenous catheter device. This device is commonly used as a means for inserting a flexible or semi-flexible catheter into a patient's blood vessel. Since the flexible or semi-flexible catheter is incapable of piercing the patient's skin, an introducer needle is inserted through the lumen of the catheter such that a beveled or working portion of the needle is exposed beyond the tip of the catheter. The patient's vasculature is accessed as the beveled portion of the needle is inserted through the patient's skin and into the targeted vein. The catheter and needle are then advanced into the vein until the desired position of the catheter is achieved. Once the catheter is properly positioned, the introducer needle is removed from the catheter and disposed.
In some instances, the diameter of the targeted vein is relatively small as compared to the gauge of the introducer needle. Thus, it is not uncommon for the beveled portion of the needle to breach or otherwise damage the targeted vein while advancing the catheter and needle into the vein. Accordingly, it is a common practice to “hood” the needle once the targeted vein has been accessed via the introducer needle and tip of the catheter. The process of hooding the needle involves maintaining a stationary position of the partially inserted catheter while simultaneously withdrawing the beveled portion of the needle into the inner lumen of the catheter. Once the needle tip has been hooded, the catheter is then advanced into the vein to a desired position. With the needle tip hooded, there is no danger of damaging the patient's vein while advancing the catheter.
Current methods for hooding the needle tip generally rely on a user's experience and/or estimation regarding the position of the needle tip relative to the tip of the catheter. Since the needle tip and catheter tip are both subcutaneously located, it is impossible for the user to see the position of the needle tip. Accordingly, users will typically withdrawal the needle from the catheter until the user believes that the needle tip is hooded. A result of this is that the needle tip is either underhooded or overhooded.
Where the needle tip is underhooded, the needle tip is not completely withdrawn into the lumen of the catheter. As such, a portion of the needle's bevel remains exposed thereby maintaining a risk of damage to the patient's vein. Where the needle tip is overhooded, the needle tip is overdrawn into the lumen of the catheter thereby leaving an extended portion of the catheter tip unsupported by the needle. Overhooding the needle tip is undesirable due the possibility of kinking, bending or otherwise obstructing the flow of the catheter while advancing the catheter into the patient's vein.
Thus, while techniques currently exist that are used to hood the beveled portion of a catheter during catheterization procedures, challenges still exist. Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to augment or even replace current techniques with other techniques.